Sterling K. Brown says one of the biggest reasons he signed on for Is God Is had nothing to do with playing a villain and everything to do with wanting to see Black women take up space in complicated, unpredictable ways on screen. While discussing the revenge thriller’s theatrical release, Brown explained that writer-director Aleshea Harris created the kind of project he believes audiences have been asking for: bold stories that refuse to flatten Black characters into stereotypes.
Speaking to Deadline about the film, Brown said Harris’ vision immediately stood out because it allowed Black women to exist outside the narrow roles they’re often given in Hollywood. “I love Black women, and I love seeing Black women win,” Brown said, adding that the script felt “creative” and “new” at a time when audiences are pushing for broader storytelling.
He also noted that too many projects still try to define what a “Black movie” should look like, while Is God Is intentionally moves in the opposite direction.
The film, based on Harris’ Obie Award-winning 2018 Off-Broadway play, follows twin sisters, played by Kara Young and Mallori Johnson, who are sent on a violent revenge mission by their dying mother, portrayed by Vivica A. Fox.
Brown plays the twins’ father, known only as “The Monster,” whose actions set the story in motion years earlier. The cast also includes Janelle Monáe, Erika Alexander, Mykelti Williamson, and Josiah Cross.
Brown said another part of the appeal was seeing Black women portrayed as flawed, chaotic, and emotionally raw instead of serving as the moral center of someone else’s story. “I also love the idea that Black women get a chance to be messy in this film, like hella messy,” he said.
According to Brown, Harris intentionally avoided the expectation that Black women must always be “the sensible side component of a larger story.”
The comments build on earlier conversations Brown has had while promoting the movie, particularly around gender dynamics and violence against women. In previous interviews, the actor reflected on the rise in attention surrounding femicide and domestic violence, calling for greater empathy between Black men and Black women.
He argued that division and conflict within communities often distract from larger systemic problems, while understanding each other’s perspectives could open the door to healthier relationships.
